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VENTEIR M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. EDMUNDS. WASHINGMAGHIN E FOR PIECE GOODS;

Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

THE NO RIS PETERSGO OO HO W w/m r 1 (No Model.)

WITNESSEEI No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. EDMUNDS, WASHING MACHINE FOR PIECE GOODS.

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No. 537,445 Patented Apr. 16, 1895. F'us 1 INVENTEIR JOHN EDMUNDS, OFWALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY A. BURNHAM, TRUSTEE, OF SAMEPLACE.

WASHING-MACHINE FOR PIECE GOODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,445, dated April16, 1895.

Application filed August 23, 1894:. Serial No. 521 ,061. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN EDMUNDs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Waltham, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in washing machines, mangles,&c., with especial mention to certain features which willbe hereinafterset forth.

During the process of washing cloth preparatory to dyeing or bleaching,it is customary to employ a series of rolls, one of which is immersed inwater, and about which the cloth is passed back and forth, the last tworolls in the series serving to compress the cloth between them, andthereby squeeze out the bulk of the liquid with which the cloth hadbecome saturated during its passage about the submerged roll. Thearrangement generally is to submerge the first roll in a pool of runningwater. At a point above in substantially the same vertical plane withthe first roll, is a set of two rolls making contact with each other,and it is between this set that thecloth is compressed to extract thesuperfluous Water. These rolls are of the same length and all rotate inbearings supported in the frame of the machine.

When about to wash a piece of cloth, the attendant first passes one endunder the submerged roll. It is then brought up and passed between theset of two, again passed round under the submerged roll, and theoperation continued until a sufficient number of turns are taken tocover the desired extent of rolls, the end then being led on its finalpassage through the upper two ofi to a wringer or squeezer, and fromthence to the dyeing or bleaching room.

By starting upon one side of the machine in Winding the cloth about therolls, and at each turn passing it a little farther along the lengththereof, when the winding is completed the cloth leaves the machine onthe side opposite to that on which it is fed in. The same relativeposition of the different turns is maintained when the machine is inoperation, the cloth entering at the submerged roll on one side andpassing out from between the upper two on the opposite side. By thismethod, the

cloth in its progress through the machine is repeatedly saturated as itpasses under the submerged roll, and compressed and relieved of thewater as it runs between the upper two.

One of the difficulties encountered in the operation of the machine isthe stretching of the cloth as soon as it becomes saturated in passingover and along the rolls. This causes the cloth in the last few turns torun slack, and if provisions are not taken to overcome the difficulty,the cloth would run on the rolls, the turns overlapping and becomingtangled.

It is to be understood that the cloth is not passed through the'machineextended to its full width. Just before reaching the submerged roll, itenters a circular eyelet, which folds and laps the cloth longitudinallyto such an extent that it issues from the eyelet in substantially a ropycondition.

The method in common use to compensate for the stretching of the clothis to subject it to tension, before it passes into the machine. This isdone by leading the cloth over a joist running up obliquely from thefloor to the framework. By varying the degree of 0bliquity as occasionrequires, the slack due to stretching is provided for. This, however, isvery unsatisfactory, since the presence of an attendant is necessarytoadjust the joist as required, and because of the danger of injuring thecloth. The cloth being in a ropy condition, the strain caused by itsbeing passed over the joist is liable to produce in it a brokenappearance where the folds occur called herring bone. It is also subjectto considerable wear, and frequently tears upon passing over the joist.is not relieved of sufficient moisture when it has passed out of themachine to make it ready for the dyeing or bleaching fluid, which toomuch moisture would so dilute as to render its action ineffective.Therefore the cloth difficulty arises. It is evident that to pro- Inaddition the cloth too tween the twoor an injurious strainonit,according as the wring-er was slower or faster This 'nic'ety of adjustment' than the washer. of the two machines relative to each other, is

difficult to maintain,"since'a very slight difference in the size ofrollers, or a substantial variation of speed is sufficient to produceeither of the'troubl'es abovementioned. By means of my invention thesedifficulties are met in a much more satisfactory, effectual andeconomical manner than has heretofore been possible. Bythe'additi'on ofa singl'e squeeze roll to the existing type of'machine, with perfectmeans of regulatin g pressure,no additional wringer is necessarytopreparethe clothfor'the dye or bl'eaching'flni'd.

A further object attained is'the compensation for stretching by ana'ntor'natic "means, thus doing awa withtheneed of an attendant, andaccomplishing the object without the danger of injury to the cloth.

Referring to the drawings, Figure-Mean elevation of my improved washinginachin e, showing the beveled roll. "Fig.'-'2'is a View of part of theframe showingdetails ofmechanism for regulating" pressure or the squeezeroll,and Fig. 3 isa section on line'x-a:;Fig.'1.

Rotating in bearings secured in'th'e frame pieces A, A, is the roll A,submerged in water. At a silitable distanceabo'v'e in the sameverticalplane' is thes'etof rollsB; B, also having shaft bearings apasecured in the frame pieces A, A. [The roll- 13 is slightly larger indiameter at the right end, the surfacebeing beveled'for' a purposehereinafter described. 'I'nadjusting "the roll B it is so placed that"its upper" surface is level. R'oll B is provided with'a'dri'ving pulley0. Roll B, resting upon B "makes with" it a'frictional contact andtherefore rotates with B. The hearings in which the "shaft of roll'Bturns, have a' certain range or vertical movement in the frame pieces A,A to allow for-the proper clearance between the rolls B and Bwhen thethickness of the material passing between them is varied.

Immediately above the roll B and bearing upon it is the short roll D.This roll is mounted upon the'shaft cl, both ends-of which turn inmovable bearingssupported in a manner hereinafter described, thebearings for the inner end moving in a frame'depending from the crossbeam A This'roll'is' provided with means for regulatingitspressure'upon' the roll B, best seen in Figsr2=and "The arrangements atboth ends of the shafta're the same.

The shaft 01 is mounted in the bearings e, 6 adapted to move up and downwithin the guides f, f securely bolted to the frame work "of themachine. Between the guidesfif and secured to the bearings e, eisa'hollow'casing 9 within which is the coiled spring E resting'fr'om'the' cross beam A upon the bearings e, e. Thetop of-the casing isperforatedand a screw F passes loosely through the perforation, andenters a threaded nut h contained in the casing and resting on top ofthe spring E. The casing is made of such shape'inside as to conform withthat of the nut and .prevent its turning with the screw. Thescrew 'Fisprovided with a fixed collar K which transfers the reaction of thespring E to the framework G. The frameworkG may alsobe of iron and issecurely bolted to the guidesfif. The upper end of the screw E afterpassing through the cross piece of the framework G carries the beveledgearwheel m,*meshing with a similar gear at on the shaft 0. The shaft 0turns at one end in bearings supported by-anextension of the frameworkG,and at the'other end in-bearings supported in the framework dependingThe gear it on the shaft 0 is provided 'with'a set screw 1). The

outer end of the shaft 0 carries a sprocket wheel P, fromwhich dependsasprocket'chain R, easily reached by-an attend-ant.

The method of operating the'machine is as follows: 'lhe fold of cloth 8'entering the machine underneath the roll Apasses success- 'ivelybetweenrolls B and B and underneath A, finally issuing from b'etween B and Band orbleaching room. Mot-ion now being communicated to' t'h'e rolls Band B the cloth rap 'idly passesthroughthemachine in the order aboveindicated. The end of overwhich the cloth last. passes being larger indiameter 't'h'anthe other endythe last turn therefore takes 'up morecloth than'the first turn, and this is sufficient to compensate for thestretching-of the clot-h during its passage through 1 the machine. Thepressure of the roll D upon *B is regulated by the arrangement abovedescribed. By-turning the sprocket wheel P in 'the proper directionthe'nut h is run down upon the screw F, compressing the spring E,whichthen forces downthe movable bearings e which in turn force theshaft d down with them, thus forcing roll D more firmly against B. Torelieve the pressure it 'ismerely necessary to i turn the sprocket inthe reverse direction.

shaft '0' is connected with thesame adjusting It has been'before'statedthat the mechanism with whichshaft d is provided atboth'endsg and therefore the-turning of shaft 0 simultaneously raises orlowers both ends of shaft d exactly the same distance. Should a itbecome necessary for any reason, to raise or lower one end of d withoutaltering the position of the other end, the set screw 19 may beloosenedand the :gear Wmove'd back on to each other is thus providedfor, and this adjustment is limited only by the fineness of the screwthreads and the pitch of the gears.

It is therefore possible to compensate for any unequal wear on thesurface of roll D, and maintain a perfect parallelism in respect to theroll 13.

Since roll D turns by reason of its friction upon B, it moves uniformlywith B, and as B also turns byreason of its friction on D, there issubstantially no variation of speed between any of these rolls. Thepressure of D upon B is sufficient to dry the cloth properly forbleaching or dyeing, without subjecting it to further pressure inanother wringer.

WVith a machine of this construction it is only necessary to properlyarrange the cloth before starting, and then no further attention isrequired. By running the machine slowly at first the cloth may beexamined to ascertain if sufficient moisture has been removed to renderit in proper condition for dyeing or bleaching. Should it be too wet,the sprocket wheel may be turned by means of the depending chain,thereby increasing the pressure be tween the rolls D and B, and forcingmore Water out of the cloth as it passes between them.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Ina machine for washing cloth or the like, the combination with a rollersubmerged in a liquid, of a set of two rollers in the same verticalplane, all of said rollers being of substantialy the same length, andanother roller shorter than the others, spring-pressed mov able bearingstherefor, and means for simultaneously and exactly moving both ends ofsaid roll.

2. In a machine for washing cloth or the like, the combination with aroller submerged in a liquid, of a set of two rollers in the samevertical plane, all of said rollers being of substantially the samelength, and another roller shorter than the others, spring-pressedmovable bearings therefor, a shaft substantially parallel to said roll,and connections between said shaft and bearings whereby the rotation ofthe shaft causes a simultaneous and exact movement at both ends of saidroll.

3. In a machine for washing cloth or the like, the combination with aseries of rollers over which the cloth passes, of a beveled rollerbearing against one of said series, whereby the slack due to thestretching of the cloth is compensated for, substantially as set forth.

4. In a machine for washing cloth or the like, the combination with asubmerged roller about which the cloth passes, of a set of two rollersin the same vertical plane, and adapted to compress the cloth betweenthem, the lower one of said set being beveled whereby the slack due tothe stretching of the cloth is compensated for, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a machine for washing cloth or the like, the combination with asubmerged roller over which the cloth passes, of a set of two rollersbetween which the cloth also passes, one of said rollers having abeveled surface, and another roller adapted to compress the clothagainst the other one of said set, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for washing cloth or the like, the submerged roller A incombination with the rollers B and B, one of which B has a beveledsurface, the short roller l), and spring E, beveled gearings m and n,screw E and shaft 0 for causing the roller D to exert a uniform pressureagainst B, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my Witnesses:

HARRY A. BURNHAM, N. F. HAYES.

